The bean family includes peas, soybeans, beans, chickpeas, Lupins with which it may share cross allergies
Peanuts are increasingly added to our meals for their nutritional value and low cost, and are present in a large majority of products we consume daily.
On the other hand, peanuts improve the taste, quantity and texture of many foods.
The peanut allergy does not tend to disappear.
The peanut allergy presents with rhinitis, urticaria, atopic eczema, asthma, vomiting, abdominal pain, symptoms can be in isolation or in combination with others listed.
It can cause severe skin reactions, digestive but also anaphylactic shock.
Patients who had severe allergic episodes to peanuts must always have corticosteroid drugs and a pre-filled syringe of epinephrine with them at all times. Nurses as pharamcists may require training for administering epinephrine and spare syringes prescribed for allergic patients.
A doctor who specialises in allergy testing will make the diagnosis. Skin prick testing maybe performed and blood samples taken to check IgE levels to measure the antibodies responsible for peanut allergy.
These tests also allows the doctor to assess the degree and severity of peanut allergy.
Peas
Lentils
Soy
Beans
Lupins (flowering plant)
Bananas
Apricots
Ask if your baker uses lupin flour to improve the flexibility of his bread and buns.
Treatment of peanut allergy is to avoid eating peanuts in all its forms.
A reassessment of the allergy should be routinely performed using skin tests and a blood test (searching for antibodies specific to peanuts)